Fields of Home

Friday, 27 January 2017

History is Made…Daily!

Did you know that February is
History Month? It’s also Black / African Month, and in my quest this year to
learn more about the people that live in Canada, I’ll definitely be blogging
about that too.

But today, I’m reflecting on the
past. Maybe because it’s been an interesting couple of weeks. I know I’m not
American, but the inauguration (big word, I know!) of President Donald Trump
has—and will—impact us all, maybe in ways we haven’t even realized. (We even
talked about it at school!) For instance, on January 21, thousands of people
around the world “marched” in support of women’s rights. Even members of MY
family in Canada joined in.

At first, I didn’t understand why.
I thought the Women’s March was in protest of the new President—but my mom
explained that it was about so much more than that. She said it’s an important
message about gender equality—and making sure we don’t go back in time to when things weren’t very equal at all. Did you know
that until 1916, women in Alberta weren’t even allowed to vote?

History was made then—and it was
made again on January 21, as the Women’s March became the world’s largest
“peaceful protest.” This really opened my eyes. Because I didn’t realize women
have historically had to fight for
equality, maybe because I’m surrounded by some of the smartest, bravest, and
most amazing women in the world. (Yes, even my sister, who loves to tell me
EVERY day how much she knows!)

As part of my quest to learn more
about Canadian people and their cultures, I’ve decided to spend some extra time
in February learning about my country’s history, too. If you’ve read the
Superman Duffy comic Fields of Home, you
already know the fascinating history of canola in Canada. Plus, in Tasting My Story,“the other me” travels back in time (four times!) to learn about
the evolution of Canadian foods over the years—and the importance of family
history, too. (Not to mention, * I * dug up some great recipes from the past
that are still delicious today!)

A simple Google search has already
given me plenty of Canadian history to ponder, and I’m just getting started.
Look for my random facts throughout February on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest,
Instagram or the blog!

And don’t forget to celebrate the
Year of the Rooster this weekend—tomorrow is the beginning of Chinese New Year.
Check out my past post on it here! And be sure to send me pictures if you attend
any celebrations. They could be
published on my social media.